The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-17

he got his arms under her, and lifting her
with some difficulty, limped off to the house,
where ho laid her down upon the table, and,
assisted 10y Mrs. Neville, began to do all In
his power to revive her So obstinate was
h.r faint, however, that their efforts were
unavaillng, and at last Mrs. Neville started
or to the camp to get some brandy. leaving
him to 60 on rubbing her hands and sprinx'
ling water OH her face.
The good lady had not been gone more
than two or three minntes when jess sud.
denly opened her eyes and sat up, and then
slipped her feet to the ground. Her eyes fell
upon John and dilated with wonder, and he
thought that she was going to faint again,
for even her lips blanched, and she began to
shake and treynble all over in the extremity
of her agitation.
"Jess, Jess" lie said, "for Gods sake don't
look like that, you frighten mel"
~ thought you were-I thought you were
-" she said, slowly, and then suddenly burst
into passion of tears and fell forward upon
his breast and lay there sobbing her heart
out, her brown curls resting against his face
It was an awkward position and a most
moving one. John was only man, and the
spectacle of this strange woman, to whom
he had lately grown SO much attached,
plunged into intense emotion. awakened, ap-
parently, by anxiety about his fate, stirred
him deeply, as it would have stirred any
body Indeed, it struck some chord in him
for which he could not quite account, and its
echoes charmed and yet frightened him.
What did it mean?
"Jess, dear Jess, pray stop; can't bear to
see you cry So"
She lifted her head from his shoulder and
stood looking at him, her hand resting on the
table behind her. Her face was wet with
tears and looked like dew washed lily. and
her beautiful eyes were alight with flame
that he had never seen in the eyes of woman
before. She said nothing, but her whole face
was more eloquent than any words, for there
are times when the features can convey a
message in language of their own that is
more subtle than any tongue we talk. There
she stood, her breast heaving with emotion as
the sea heaves when the fierceness Of the
storm has passed. very incarnation Of the
intensest love of woman. And as she stood
something seemed to pass before her eyes and
blind her, and spirit took possession of her
that absorbed all her doubts and fears, and
she gave way to force that was of her and
yet compelled her, as, when the wind blows,
the sails compel a ship. And then, for the
first time, where her love was concerned, she
put out all her strength. She knew, and had
always known, that she could master
him, and force him to regard her as she re-
garded him, did she but choose. How she
knew it she could not say, but SO it was. And
now she yielded to an overmastering impulse
and chose. She said nothing, she did not
even move, she only looked at him.
"Why were you in such fright about me!"
he stammered.
She did not answer, but kept her eyes upon
bis face, and it seemed to John as though
power flowed from them; for as she looked,
be felt the change come. Everything melted
away before the almost spiritual intensity of
her gaze. Bessie, honor, his engagement-all
were forgotten; the smouldering embers
broke into flame, and he knew that he loved
this woman as he had never loved any living
creature before-that he loved her even as
she loved him. Strong man as he was he
shook like leaf before her.
"Jess," he said, hoarsely, "God forgive me!
love you'll" and he bent forward to kiss her.
She lifted her face toward him, then sud-
denly changed her mind, and LAID her hand
upon his, breast.
"You forget" she said, almost solemnly,
you are going to marry Bessie"
Overpowered by deep sense of shame, and
~ another sense of the deep calamity that |
lad overtaken him, John turned and limped |
rom the house.